Cotton-chopper.



No. 802,073. PATENTED OGT. 1'7, 1905. G. G. UOLDIRON.

COTTON CHOPPER.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 24.1905.

w NVENTOR UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

COTTON-CHOPPER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 17, 1905.

Application filed July 24,1905. Serial No. 271,124.

To all "Ll/horn it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE GIPsoN GOLD IRON, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Alexander, in the county of Erath and State ofTexas, have invented new and useful Improvements in Cotton-Choppers, ofwhich the following is a specification.

My invention is a cotton-chopper, and has for its object certain novelfeatures of construction hereinafter described and claimed.

The invention comprises a wheeled frame carrying ahorizontally-reciprooating cutterbar which is raised and lowered atintervals while in operation.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation, and Fig 2 isa front elevation, of the machine.

Referring specifically to the drawings, 4 and 5 denote the wheels, whichare carried on an arched axle 6. The supporting-frame for the cuttingmechanism extends forwardly from the axle and comprises spaced beams 7and 8, respectively, joined in front by a cross-beam 9. The draft-tongue10 is secured to the beam 9.

Near the front end of the supporting-frame is a cross-beam 11, carryingdepending frames 12, on which the front ends of the cultivatorbeams 13are pivotally supported. The cultivator-beams are raised and lowered bya hand-lever 14, having a flexible connection 15 with the rear ends ofsaid beams.

Behind the beam 11 is a cross-beam 16, to which is secured a dependingstem 17, on which a block 18 is slidably mounted. The block 18 carriesthe finger-bar 19, the latter being secured to the block by straps 20.The finger-bar is provided with a cutter-bar 21, which is reciprocatedhorizontally by a gearing from the wheel 4. Said gearing comprises abevel-gear 22, secured to said wheel and meshing with a bevel-gear 23 ona shaft 24, supported in bearings 25, carried by the beam 7. The shaft24 has a crank-disk 26 connected by a pitman 27 with the cutter-bar.

It will be understood that when the machine is drawn over the rows ofcotton-plants the cutter-bars will be reciprocated, as in amowing-machine.

vided for rendering the cutter inoperative at intervals in order thatthe plants may be left in stands. This is done by elevating the cuttingmechanism at intervals, according to the distance desired between thestands.

The means for elevating the cutting mech- However, means must beproanism-comprises a rock-shaft 28, mounted in bearings 29 on the axle 6and having at one end a crank-arm 30. The opposite end of the rock-shaftis fitted with a toothed wheel 31, arranged to be engaged by tappets 32,ex tending from a disk 33, made fast to the wheel 5, so as to rotatetherewith. At the outer end of the crank-arm 30 is a fork-shaped member34, extending under the block 18. When the tap pets 32 strike thetoothed wheel 31, the shaft 28 is rocked, causing the crankarm 30 toswing upwardly and the member 34 to lift the block 18 and slide itupwardly on the stem 17, thus elevating the cutting mechanism carried bysaid block above the plant. The stem 17 is made square or angular toprevent rotation of the block thereon, thus holding the cuttingmechanism in proper alinement with the driving means. When the tappetspass the toothed wheel, the parts drop down by gravity and the cuttingmechanism is restored to its normal position for operating on theplants. At the bottom of the stem 17 are outwardly-extending flanges 35to prevent the block 18 from dropping off said stem.

The distance between the stands is readily regulated by fitting the disk33 with more or less tappets. The periphery of the disk is provided witha number of threaded sockets into which the tappets are screwed, theybeing provided with threaded stems for this purpose. By removing thetappets the lifting mechanism is rendered inoperative, which may bedesirable in going to and from the field. Manually operated means forelevating the cutting mechanism are also provided andcompriseahand-lever 35, connected thereto. The hand-lever is fulcrumedat any convenient place on the frame of the machine and is provided withthe usual locking device comprising a spring-latch 36, engaging thetoothed section 37.

Having thus described my invention, what is claimed as new, and desiredto be secured by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a cotton-chopper; the combination with a wheeled frame; awheel-operated longitudinally-reciprooating cutter-bar carried thereby;and wheel-operated means for intermittently elevating the cutter-bar.

2. In a cotton-chopper; the combination with a wheeled frame; adepending stem carried by the frame, a block slidably mounted on thestem, and carrying a wheel-operated longitudinally reciprocating cutter;and Wheel-operated means for intermittently sliding the block upwardlyon the stem.

3. In a cotton-chopper; the combination with a Wheeled frame; awheel-operated longitudinally-reciprocating cutter-bar carried thereby;a rock-shaft; a wheel-operated tappet for actuating the rock-shaft; andmeans carried by the rock-shaft for intermittently elevating thecutter-bar.

4:. In a cotton-chopper; the combination with a wheeled frame; adepending stem carried by the frame; a block slidaloly mounted on thestem, and carrying a wheel-operated longitudinally reciprocating cutterbar; a rock-shaft; a Wheel-operated tappet for actuating the rock-shaft;and means carried by the rock-shaft, and engaging the block forintermittently sliding the same upwardly on the stem.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

GEORGE GIPSON OOLDIRON.

Witnesses:

J. M. HOUSE, W. R. MGGLELLAN.

